By PAUL GOTHAM
GENESEO, N.Y. — Jack Farner produced all of the goals as Byron-Bergen/Elba boys’ soccer advanced to the New York State Class C Far West Regional with a 4-0 victory over Cuba-Rushford/Hinsdale, Wednesday night at Geneseo High School.
The junior forward snapped a scoreless tie in the 39th minute when he redirected a cross from teammate Colin Martin.
“I couldn’t have been passed a better ball,” he said. “We’ve been doing that all season. Our connection is really good.”
Martin pushed the ball to the touch line along the left wing and played a service to Farner running near post.
“I knew we had to capitalize on it,” Farner said. “I know where he’s going to place it, and I just got to a spot.”
The tally served as an opening act for Farner’s second-half performance when he found the back of the net three times in the first 17 minutes.
“It’s the first game that it’s taken him 35 minutes to warm up, but then all of sudden you could tell he was warm and ready to go,” Byron-Bergen/Elba head coach Ken Rogoyski said. “Soccer is just that way. If you watch those first 35 minutes, we had a lot of opportunities. We possessed the ball more. We did a lot of things right, but we did not find the back of the net.”
55’ Class C regional qualifier HAT TRICK Jack Farner. Byron-Bergen/Elba 3 Cuba-Rushmore/Hinsdale 0 pic.twitter.com/7DaFinhmcd
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) November 2, 2023
With the win, the Bees (17-2-1) advanced to the New York State Class Far West Regional for the first time since 2017.
“It’s really a cool feeling,” Farner said. “It’s been a while. We’re all excited.”
Cody Carlson, Braedyn Chambry and Noah Clare had an assist apiece in the win – Byron-Bergen/Elba’s eighth straight. The Bees haven’t lost since September 29th and avenged that setback with a 6-1 win over Addison in the Class C1 semifinals.
Farner has 35 goals and six assists on the season.
Rogoyski’s side snapped top-seeded East Rochester’s five-game winning streak in the C1 championship game.
“This is a great group,” he said. “We’re all together on this. We’re all very united. We feel like one team, one body, and we’re playing like that.”
Byron-Bergen/Elba outshot Cuba-Rushford/Hinsdale (12-8-1), 10-5.
Martin MacConnell made five saves for the shutout.
The Bees (No. 4 NYSSWA Class C) will play Section VI champion Wilson (15-2-2/No. 5 NYSSWA Class C) in Friday’s state quarterfinal.
Byron-Bergen/Elba defeated Allegany-Limestone, 1-0 in the 2017 Class C regional. That squad advanced to the state championship game before falling in overtime to Lansing (IV), 2-1.
The Byron-Bergen program made three regional appearances with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss in those games. The 2005 Bees beat Holland 3-1 in Class B and the ’02 version defeated Silver Creek, 1-0 in Class C. The ’02 team reached the finals before falling to Keio Academy (I), 1-0. Byron-Bergen lost in overtime to Holland, 3-2 in 1986.
A 5 PM start time is scheduled Friday at West Seneca West High School.
This is Ken Rogoyski, the Varsity Boys Soccer Coach at BBE. You always have amazing history in your articles, Paul. What is your source? How did you know that we fell 3-2 to Holland back in the 1986 Western Regionals? Your research is amazing. I have a few questions that I bet you can help me find answers to! I can’t find a direct email/phone for you. I lost my Pickin’ Splinters business card! Let me know how I can contact you and ask you a few questions. Again, you are amazing! Thank you for all you do!